1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a ratchet wrench. Particularly, the present invention relates to a ratchet wrench with a quick-release socket system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Persons engaged in repair and construction type work ordinarily have to use a variety of hand tools to perform tasks. The work commonly takes place over machinery and/or on platforms at various heights above the ground.
Another, more serious concern with the use of hand tools (i.e. hammers, screw drivers, pliers, ratchets, levels, flashlights, tape measures, etc.) occurs when working in overhead situations. If dropped, the hand tool could injure personnel and/or damage equipment located beneath where the work is being performed. A dropped tool exposes persons located below to potential injury or even death if struck by the falling tool. A dropped tool also has the potential to cause damage to machinery located below. The damage can result in many ways. For instance, the damage can be due to the impact of the falling tool on the machinery or parts. Where machinery is operating at the time, the falling tool may come to rest in the path of moving components causing damage to the components and/or necessitating that the machinery be shut down.
However, it is not just the hand tool that could injure personnel and/or damage equipment located beneath where the work is being performed. Component parts of a hand tool such as a socket and/or an extension of a ratchet wrench may become a falling hazard.
The ratchet wrench has several advantages over the conventional closed or open end wrench. The fastener to be tightened or loosened is commonly in a confined location where a wrench has only a limited arc of motion when placed on the fastener. With an open end or a closed end wrench, the wrench must be removed from the fastener each time the limit of the arc of motion is reached and then repositioned. The ratchet wrench can be retained on the fastener with the ratcheting mechanism permitting the wrench to be readily returned to the initial point of motion without the wrench being removed from the fastener. When a reversible ratchet is provided, the wrench can be rotated freely in either direction as needed.
In ratchet wrenches adapted for use with a socket set, it is common to provide a spring loaded detent to secure the socket on the drive member of the wrench during use. In recent years, mechanisms have been developed for quick release of the socket from the wrench by retraction of the detent.
Ratchet wrenches and tools including those of the type which have a socket-locking and quick-release mechanism have been long established in the relevant art. Many and varied types of such mechanisms for ratchet and drive reversing ratchet wrenches have been described in the literature, and mechanisms have been incorporated in commercial ratchet drives sold for use by mechanics. Many of the prior art structures depend upon and invoke substantially the same mechanical principles, each being engineered for use in ratchet drive wrenches in which drive reversal of the wrench is effected by impressing a rotational force on a lever or upon an arcuately-shiftable plate to change the operational orientation of an indexing element. The latter is conveniently a toothed pawl, the teeth of which intercouple or interlock with cooperating teeth formed in a driving collar or ring of the tool head. In such ratcheting devices, counter-rotation of the tool handle effects disengagement of the ratchet teeth to permit the drive handle to be shifted in the opposite direction for subsequent forward reactivation and drive.
Generally, prior mechanisms in the marketplace included a ball-and-spring structure. The socket has a side hole into which the ball snaps as the socket is applied to the mechanism. The socket is removed by simply pulling it off. Alternately, such mechanism has a push-button actuator, which is depressed to remove the socket, thus the name “quick-release” mechanism. Whether or not an actuator is provided, the socket can be removed by forcibly pulling it off. This is disadvantageous because a socket has a tendency to fall off inadvertently during use. The socket could be lost or it could fall into a place where it could cause damage to equipment and/or injury to persons. Particularly when these ratchet wrenches are used in industry, inadvertent dislodgement is highly undesirable.
To preclude the socket from inadvertently falling off during use, certain mechanisms in the marketplace do not permit the socket to be simply pulled off. They have positive locking structure which precludes forcibly pulling the socket off of the ratchet wrench. Instead, a punch or the like must be inserted into the mechanism to release the socket. Other mechanisms are configured to release the locking mechanism upon engagement of the push button of the quick release.